Wayne State University Athletics

Paolucci, a native of Cleveland and graduate of Detroit Cass HS, lettered and started three seasons in varsity football in 1955, 1956 and 1957.  He also received a minor football award in 1954.  Paolucci played both ways at tackle for the Tartars.  Though Paolucci played at defensive tackle, no statistics were kept for defensive players in those days.  Paolucci was named to the 1956 and 1957 All-Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) Honor Teams, and was also named both seasons to the Associated Press' All-Michigan College Eleven.  Head coach Herbert L. Smith named Paolucci the team's Most Valuable Lineman in 1957, and the Daily Collegian voted Paolucci football's Athlete-of-the-Year for 1957.  Paolucci co-captained the 1957 Tartar squad with Ron Kowalczyk.  Recruited by former head coach Lou Zarza from Cass Tech HS, where he earned All-City and Honorable Mention All-State honors in the only season he played prep football, 1953, Paolucci was one of a handful of players to remain with the Tartar program after it entered the PAC in 1955.  The PAC did not allow any scholarships, no spring football, and enforced a limited schedule.  However, for the duration of his playing career at Wayne, Paolucci remained on the football scholarship he was originally granted by Zarza.  Paolucci was instrumental in leading Wayne to its first of two PAC football titles in 1956, his junior campaign.  After finishing fourth the season before, the PAC's inaugural year, the Tartars claimed the title with a 3-0-1 record.  In Paolucci's last season, Wayne finished second in the PAC at 2-1-0.  After the 1957 Western Reserve game, a 21-10 Tartar victory with Wayne gaining 359 yards in total offense, Paolucci was named Star-of-the-Week by the Collegian.  In the spring of 1958 Paolucci was drafted in the ninth round by the Detroit Lions, and he remained on the defensive unit for the Lions during the 1958 and 1959 seasons.  During his career with Detroit, Paolucci finished his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry at WSU in 1958.  In 1960, Paolucci served six months in the U.S. Army.  After the Army stint, he started medical school at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he graduated in 1964.  A general surgeon with his own practice in Madison Heights, Michigan, Paolucci is on staff with several Detroit-area hospitals.  He was certified by the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons in 1972, and named a Fellow by the ACOS in 1976.  He was also certified by the American Board of Quality Assurance in 1987.  Over the past two decades, Paolucci has served as a consultant in medical utilization management to Blue Cross-Blue Shield and the Teamsters Union.  For 20 seasons Paolucci served as the team physician for the Detroit Pistons.  He is responsible for the diagnosis and prescription of treatment for all Piston players.